Detective Conan: Fleeting Dreams
by Skywalker6119
Summary: A temporary antidote gives him a glimpse into his dream, and perhaps into other's dreams as well. Thanks, snowqueen13 for providing inspiration, where ever you may be. SxSxR situation. Please review. Chapter 5 is up!
1. Premonition or Nightmare?

Detective Conan: Fleeting Dream

Chapter 1: Premonition or Nightmare?

Written by Skywalker6119

Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not owned by me, nor was it written by me. The original concept was conceived by Aoyama Gosho. The inspiration for this story came from Catch Me When I Fall, by snowqueen13. Thank you, snowqueen13.

* * *

**Conan's Point of View**

_Don't be impatient! She definitely entered this port! She's got to be in the area! She won't get away!_ I'm running, past containers that all look alike. The surroundings seem the same wherever I turn. How long have I been running?

"Hold on!" I hear a voice behind me. Ran's voice. Who am I following? Who am I chasing after?

_Where is she?!_ _Where is she?! Where is she?!_ I remember now! The dead Hirota-san, the giant killed in the hotel room, the woman who played out this whole thing! Masa- No! Miyano Akemi! That person-

A shadow in the distance. A woman, standing, falling to the ground. Too late! I'm too late! Again, Miyano Akemi will die before my eyes.

But that's wrong. The person in front of me is…

Haibara! "Haibara! What're you-"

"Will you listen…to the last thing I have to say…?" Miyano Akemi's words echo through my mind, but the face is wrong. That pained, bloody face, that sad smile…they belong to Haibara Ai.

"Hold on, Haibara! Don't say that! Haibara!" Her face is clouding, disappearing before me. "Haibara!"

-⌂-

"Conan-kun! Wake up!" A jostling, people crying my name. I open my eyes to see the concerned faces of the children I've been playing with this past year. Ayumi, Genta, Mitsuhiko. I sit upright suddenly. Cold sweat was dripping down my entire body. My hands were clutching the top of my sleeping bag in an unbreakable grip. It was all a nightmare. Just a nightmare.

"Are you alright, Conan-kun?" Mitsuhiko asks me. "You were shouting in your sleep."

"I'm fine," I reply, "It was just a nightmare. Sorry." We're all sitting under the tent, the forest silent outside. That's right, we're on a camping trip. I look past the trio, at the slumbering form of Agasa-hakase. Geez, he's really a deep sleeper. But Haibara's sleeping bag is empty. "Where's Haibara?!" I ask in a panic.

"I'm behind you." I turn around, and indeed, Haibara was standing at the head of my sleeping bag, her trademark expression on her face. "What sort of dreams were you having about me anyway, hmm?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. The other three looked at me with similar expressions. "Like I said, it was just a nightmare!" It's not like I was thinking perverted thoughts about that girl. It was horrible.

An hour later, and I'm still awake. The others have gone back to sleep. But my nightmare is still keeping me up. I don't want to see that again. It was a dream. Nothing but a dream, I tried to reassure myself. It didn't help. _There's no way that could happen. It was just dream. An unimportant dream. Not a premonition. _I fall asleep, repeating those words, as the birds begin to chirp at the coming day.

-⌂-

"Kudo-kun, here. My gift." Haibara shoves a small box towards me, as the festivities continue around us. We are an ocean of calm amid the drunken reveling of Kogoro-jisan; Sonoko's attempts at coaxing Makoto into kissing her beneath the mistletoe; and the trio of living giftwrap shredders.

"What is it, Haibara?" She smiles her smile, and replies, "What do you think it is, Kudo?" The shock must've registered on my face. "That's right. The cure. Merry Christmas, Kudo-kun."

* * *

Okay, that's a wrap. This is the first chapter of what I hope will be a nice, short, well-written story. A Twisted Universe is continuing very slowly, because I keep rewriting it. Sorry. It just isn't really ready to unveil yet. The _Storm Hawks_ story might take awhile as well. But, I hope this is an acceptable sacrifice for the short term. Again, thank you snowqueen13 for providing inspiration; without your Catch Me When I Fall, this wouldn't have been possible. 

In the story, the Black Organization has been defeated in the intervening period between the nightmare and the Christmas party. This way, Miyano Shiho can return to the world without posing a risk to anyone else.


	2. Fly Over The Rainbow

Detective Conan: Fleeting Dream

Chapter 2: Fly Over The Rainbow

Written by Skywalker6119

Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not owned by me, nor was it written by me. The original concept was conceived by Aoyama Gosho. This chapter is dedicated to Bruddah Iz, whose tenth year deathday anniversary was last week.

* * *

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for three conspirators whispering in the basement. The other revelers has already gone home, with the exception of one little boy, who was sleeping over. 

"The cure will last for at least two months, six at the most. It's not fully complete yet, but it will help me figure out the complete cure. So, Kudo, what's your answer?" Haibara Ai looked at Shinichi, a smile on her face.

Shinichi, or rather, Conan, sighed. He'd be with Ran for two months, go back to his old routine and old life, for two blissful months, that was certain. But, he'd have to disappear again, leave her behind. Such a short taste of heaven before being forced back down to earth.

"I'll take it. You can finish the real cure after this thing, right? For sure?"

"Of course. Hakase, I trust you can make 'Edogawa Conan' disappear?"

"You can count on me!" The professor thumped his chest proudly.

"Then, I'll observe you du-"

Conan shook his head. "Haibara, why don't you join me? Take the pill, and return to your original size?"

Ai looked surprised. "Th-there's no need for both of us to take the pill. If something goes wrong,"

"It'll be fine. You trust your own cure, don't you?"

"Yes, but there's always-"

"Then, join me! The Organization is gone, and you're free to live a normal life. It's what your sister always wanted for you, right? So, join me. Tell you want, why don't you come to school with me? Live the life of a normal high-schooler for a few months?" _I can't just leave you behind, can I? You deserve this more than I do, you, who had to work for the Organization for so long, it's specter always hanging over you, even in you most private moments. So, come on. For just a bit, experience what a normal life is._ These thoughts went onside by Edogawa Conan. If Haibara heard them, he was sure she would try to hide behind a joke again. He wanted her to show him her honest emotions one more time, like when they'd first met.

The girl in question sighed. "Fine. You're too nice, Kudo. It's amazing you brought down the Organization being so naïve. So then, what's our cover?"

"Well, um… I'm not quite sure yet…" Conan blushed. He'd just thought of that now, without any preparation.

"Honestly, you're always doing this. Fine, for now, let's just say I'm a high school detective from America, and I transferred over to help you in that _hard_ case you've been _working_ on for the past year. That'll explain things when we disappear after the antidote wears out. Hakase, I suppose you should file forms for getting me and Conan out of school, and Miyano Shiho and Kudo Shinichi into it?" The professor nodded proudly. "Then it's settled."

"Hold on. Before we leave, we should say goodbye to the Detective Boys before we go. Give them a chance to see us off."

"It'd be easier for all of us if this was sudden, Kudo."

"No, it wouldn't be, Ai-kun. Trust me, giving them closure is the softest way to say goodbye," said Agasa. This was something he truly had first-hand knowledge of. If he had known his first love would be leaving him, he wouldn't have been so hurt for decades, not knowing where he was going to meet her again.

Haibara sighed. "Fine. Let's get this done by New Years."

-⌂-

"Eeh?! You're going back to America?!" The screaming made Conan wince. The young trio had tears in their eyes as they stood in the airport lobby. Ran and Kogoro stood behind them, a sad expression on Ran's face, while Kogoro simply looked back over his shoulder at the hustle and bustle. Sonoko stood alongside a number of acquaintances the group had made in their adventures together, Hattori Heiji, Behind Conan stood three suitcases, his "mom," and the professor. "Yeah, sorry for not telling you guys earlier. It was a surprise for me too. My dad's work is done there, so we're moving back. (1) But don't worry! I'll give you my address so you guys can mail me. I won't forget you guys!" he proclaimed with a confident smile.

But that did little to assuage the grief of the Detective Boys. "Conan-kun! Promise me you won't forget me!" Ayumi cried. "You'd better not forget us, or we won't tell you about all the new Kamen Yaiba episodes coming out!" yelled Genta. "Visit us over summer break- Haibara!?" The trio looked with astonishment as Haibara walked over to join Conan, a small suitcase rolling along behind her. She looked up at Conan's "mom" and said, "I'm ready to go."

"Eeh?! Haibara, you're going with Conan?!" The screaming made everyone in the vicinity wince.

"Oi, brats, stop shouting so loudly!"

"Ai-chan, you're going with Conan?" Ran asked, a puzzled look on her face. Why would they be leaving together? Ai was a relative of the professor, wasn't she?

"Oh, so you two really are boyfriend and girlfriend?" Sonoko smirked. But really, those kids were leaving? Thing's wouldn't be the same without that little brat around. Always scurrying around underfoot. _I wonder who's going to be Sleeping Kogoro's new assistant?_ _Didn't he once say the boy was a lucky charm or something?_

"Ohohoho! No, Haibara-san is Conan's distant cousin. She's coming back to live with us." Yukiko laughed, hiding her nervousness. _Geez, Agasa. This was the best you could come up with?_

Heiji sneaked over to Conan, while everyone else was busy questioning Agasa and Yukiko over the nature of their relationship. "So, Kudo, you're coming back?"

He nodded. "Haibara's made an antidote. It's only temporary, but she say's it'll give her data to make a permanent one." Looking over at the increasingly flustered professor and down at his watch, he said, "Sorry Heiji, the plane's going to leave in five minutes, and we'd better get to it." Turning to the group, he brought his hands up to his mouth and shouted to them, "It's time to go home, Okaa-san!"

* * *

Muahahaha! I finished this chapter in under three hours cumulative time, and I just started the story, under a week ago! If I was this prolific with A Twisted Universe, you'd probably be reading chapter 19 by now, rather than chapter 7. As it is, chapter 7 is still crawling at a snail's pace. The problem is with making the dialogue flow. It sounds stilted and unnatural right now. To take my mind off it, I just started typing this up. So, thanks for reading! Chapter 7's editing will be done by the end of the summer! That much I can promise, heh. (sweatdrop) 

(1) It was never made clear what Conan was doing in Japan, was it? All that I can remember was that he thought he was kidnapped by some strange woman, who really turned out to be his real mom, who'd heard about the situation from Agasa, who then asked Detective Mouri to take care of Conan for a while for a lot of money. If anyone could please clear this up, send my some sort of message, please.


	3. Be Prepared

Detective Conan: Fleeting Dream

Chapter 3: Be Prepared (For our Return)

Written by Skywalker6119

Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not owned by me, nor was it written by me. The original concept was conceived by Aoyama Gosho.

* * *

_Well, they're just as noisy as those three._ Conan looked at his parents, just as drunk as Kogoro usually was. Well, today **was** a special occasion. New Years Eve, almost New Years Day. Their son was coming home, and he'd brought a cute girl with'm too. That was the summary Conan had formed in his head of their drunken ramblings. Haibara sat next to him, sipping her tea. Across a coffee table, his parents cuddled up to one another, still holding their sickening and embarrassing conversation. 

"I always wondered why you had such a big house, Kudo. Now I know. You're parents get so wild at parties, they need all the space to make sure neighbors don't find out what happens when world-famous authors and actress' get drunk." She smirked.

"They're not like this all the time, you know. Usually, they're not even here."

"So then, the space is for you're drunken reveling?"

His jaw dropped. _How could she even think such a…_ "You're jokes aren't funny, Haibara. Or should I call you Shiho now?" Conan smirked himself.

"You can call me Shiho after we get back to our normal selves. Anyway, where's Agasa? Wouldn't he like to be here?"

"He's out with his _friend_."

"That lady? So what, is he going out at his age?" Haibara winced. "He's a little old, and a little overconfident. Especially after forgetting about her for forty years."

"Why not let him have his fun? I'd say he's earned if after forty years. After all, he managed to remember everything about how they met, even when he forgets where he leaves his mail everyday."

Haibara giggled. "That's true. Um…what are you staring at?"

"Huh?" Conan shook his head. "Uh, I was just thinking you had a nice laugh. It's the first time I've really heard you laugh, you know."

She frowned. "That's true." She sniffed at her tea. Then she looked at the coffee table. "I think I'm drunk."

He just stared at her. Looking back at him, she said it again, even more monotonously. "I think I am drunk."

"How could you be drunk!? You specifically said we had to keep pure to make sure the antidote worked properly! And you get drunk!?"

"It's not my fault! Your parents slipped their beer into my tea! Look, the color's the same!" To prove her point, she grabbed the last nearly empty bottle and poured it into her tea. The fluid didn't show any sign of change, other than rising a bit. She downed the whole mix in a single gulp. "See!? It even tastes like normal tea!"

Conan started laughing, holding his sides. "You really are drunk! HAHAHAHA! Must be you're child-sized body ruining your tolerance, huh, Sherry?" On the other side of the table, his parents mumbled something to the effect of "Oh, how nice, Shinichi's finally laughing. He's always been so serious."

"It seems like it. It's a lot of trouble, being drunk. You're the only one who isn't." A fierce glare froze Conan. "Maybe _you_ did something to cause this?"

"What? Of course not." Conan scoffed at her. _It was probably that troublesome pair over there_. His parents were cuddling into each other, the sofa's cushions collapsing under them. As they moved, the television turned on, no doubt having been turned on via the remote stuck in the cushions. A countdown clock was displayed in brilliant red numbering, a news announcer droning in the background as scenes of the celebrations taking around the world flew across the screen.

"It's almost midnight. Haibara, why don't we drink the pills straight at twelve?"

The girl was just sitting on the couch, watching the ongoing show in front of her. Conan grimaced. His parent's were embarrassing enough without them getting all lovey-dovey and drunk in front of guests. "Haibara? Hey, you awake?" He waved a hand in front of her. What was she thinking about? Was she even thinking?

Conan stood in front of her, eye to eye and nose to nose. "Haibara? Bururururuiii…" Even his silly face didn't draw any reaction from the girl. Trying to get her attention, he attempted even more silly poses.

"You really should look in a mirror, Shinichi. You look absolutely ridiculous."

"Eh?! What?! You were awake the whole time?!" Contorted and saggy, the words were lisped out of his face. The rosy tinge was evident on his face, just as it was one everyone else's.

"Of course. I just wanted to see you make a fool of yourself," she replied in a sing-song voice.

"Har-har-har. It's almost midnight. Shouldn't we take the antidote soon?"

"Okay, but let's raid your parent's liquor when we do. Everything here is drained."

"WHAT!? What're you saying?! We're still under-age!"

"We're already drunk, what more could a little alcohol do to us? Let's celebrate like our real ages. And it might make the antidote more effective."

A nervous look clouded Conan's face. _Is she rational anymore? Oh well, this could be my last chance to enjoy it. Ran would definitely not let me get anywhere near the stuff._

"Where's the beer?" Haibara shouted at Yusaku and Yukiko. They started to smooch. "I don't think they're even listening to me."

"Let's go look for it ourselves. I don't want to stay here any more." The pair of not-children quickly slipped out of the room, pills clasped tightly in their hands. Wandering into the kitchen, they quickly located the liquor cabinet.

"Let's see what my parents like. Gin, Vodka, Vermouth, Pisco…"

"You have a really evil liquor cabinet, Shinichi." Haibara giggled again. "Yeah, I do." Conan laughed along with her.

Reaching in again, he pulled out a wine. "Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, 1971. Anyone in the organization with that name?"

"I doubt it. The name's too long and annoying." The countdown rang out through the door, while squeals of happiness and laughter echoed down the hallway and throughout the house.

"Okay then, let's drink with this!" Conan poured out a generous measure of the wine into two cups, before dropping the pills in. Handing one to Haibara, he raised his cup in a toast. "Happy New Year, Haibara. I guess I'll be meeting Sherry when I get up." She smiled at him. "Let's hope so. Here's to a successful return." She raised her cup as well, and together, the drained their cups. Almost immediately, Conan felt the familiar pains of transformation. _Happy New Year, Ran._

-⌂-

The sunlight woke the creature. It was pouring in through the window, banishing the dark shadows that lingered from last night. "Ohhh…" It moaned. An ache in it's back kept it from rising from the soft bed. _Where am I? What? _As it's tired eyes looked around the room, it recognized the place. Someone's bedroom. Kudo Shinichi's bedroom. _Someone must've carried me here after…AFTER LAST NIGHT!_ The memories rushed back. The drunkenness, the pill, New Years; all it's memories returned. It's body felt heavier. It's blanket was disturbed and raised all the way to the foot of the bed. _It worked! The antidote worked!_ Ignoring the minor aches and pains running through it's body, it leaped from the red bed, running off into the open bathroom door. The icy, blue tiles didn't dissuade it from entering and flicking on the lights.

A wrinkled, wizened face gazed back out of the mirror. A shock of white hair ringed it's temples, noticeably missing from the center of it's head. A long gray beard fluttered as his body heaved, trying to catch it's breath. Kudo Shinichi stared in horror as he took in the full effects of the antidote. Drinking alcohol had indeed made it more effective. Too effective. He was now an old man, around 80 or 90 years old. A wordless cry leapt from his lips, echoing through the whole house and across the world.

* * *

This was a rather long chapter. I really hadn't thought I would've written so much for this particular chapter, but there it is. For me, it was surprisingly quick to write. I'll bet none of you saw this coming, eh? Don't worry, you _might_ see the pair in high school. Just stay tuned. See y'all later! Muahahaha! 

Please forgive me; I don't know how drunken people behave, so maybe Haibara and Shinichi's parents really don't sound like they're drunk. But, I tried my best.


	4. Zip A Dee Doo Dah

Detective Conan: Fleeting Dream

Chapter 4: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Written by Skywalker6119

Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not owned by me, nor was it written by me. The original concept was conceived by Aoyama Gosho.

Some of you didn't really like the last chapter. That's fine. I just had to fulfill a promise I made to readers of A Twisted Universe, that this story would have some light-heartedness to it. So, let's get back on track, shall we?

* * *

Kudo Shinichi's eyes shot open, his chest heaving in shock. The sun had already filled the room, a gold tinge spread across everything. He leapt from the bed, running into the adjoining bathroom. A face stared back at him, his old face. The face that'd been shown in all the newspapers after every case.

"It worked. The antidote worked. I'm back to normal! IT WORKED!" His progressively louder cries of jubilation echoed through the mansion, they progressively woke everyone who wasn't dead from their hangovers. (1)

-⌂-

"Good morning, Kudo-kun." Shinichi just stared at the young woman sitting at his dining table. His mom's old clothes were filled out quite well, though they were a bit loose around her chest. The black t-shirt contrasted sharply with her light skin and long, beige pants. The familiar smile on her face confirmed she was the same woman he'd known for the past year, but something about it…well, he didn't know _what _about it was just so striking.

"Are you going to eat, Shin-chan? Or are your eyes full?" Yukiko smiled at her son's reaction. It was the first time he'd ever acted like that in public. Ran never knew that he adopted the same astonished look every time he saw her in a dress, but obviously this girl was different. He didn't feel the need to hide his feelings from _her_.

"Oh, ah…yeah, I'm hungry. Good morning, Okaa-san, Haibara." Shinichi shook himself. _It's not the first time I've seen a pretty girl. Just the first time I've seen Miyano Shiho. Yeah, that's it._ He joined him mom and friend at the table, a Western breakfast of toast and eggs laid in front of him. A crumb-filled plate indicated that his dad, always struggling with deadlines, had already run off to work on his next chapter.

"You'd better get used to calling me Shiho, Kudo. We don't need you to slip up in front of Ran." Shinichi nodded in agreement. That'd be the last thing they'd want.

"Oh, speaking of school, you need to get school supplies, right, Shiho? Why don't you and Shin-chan go into town after brunch?"

"Why? Hai-Shiho knows the city well enough." Shinichi's knife and fork were cutting a swath of destruction across his plate. No crumb was safe from his mouth. Across the table, Shiho was calmly drinking her coffee, simply taking in the sounds of a family in the morning. It was something special, something she'd never truly experience as a child.

"Shin-chan! A gentleman always accompanies a lady when she shops! Now, finish your food. Your father and I have a late Christmas gift for you."

-⌂-

"When'd I get a driver's license?" Shinichi raised an eyebrow at the little card his mother was currently holding. He'd learned to drive and pilot all sorts of vehicles in Hawaii, but he hadn't been able to apply before he shrunk. His mom answered with a smile. "I took the test for you, of course. No one would be able to distinguish the you in this picture from…you."

"Isn't that illegal?" Shiho had a similar expression of disbelief and minor annoyance on her face. Yukiko simply answered with a shrug. "We just thought that we should take care of some of Shinichi's affairs while he was still shrunk. We even got him something to use with it."

The trio was currently standing in front of the Kudo's garage. With a little fanfare ditty that she'd concocted herself, Yukiko raised the garage door. Shiho and Shinichi were not impressed, though they were curious.

The garage had been changed since either of them'd set foot in it. To one side stood a large metal box, recognizable as a hydrogen fuel pump. (2) Next to it was a motorcycle, dark green in color, with gold trim, and resembling Sokół 1000, though it's original open engine had been sealed. A similarly-painted sidecar was attached on to it's left. "Your father found it in California, and brought it back here for Agasa-hakase to fix up and improve," Yukiko explained. "He replaced the original engine with one powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. It's just as fast as anything on the road today, and with the sidecar, you can take Shiho to school with you."

Shinichi and Shiho walked around the motorbike, examining it from all angles, and trying out the seating. "This is great! Thanks, okaa-san!" "Yes, thank you for this gift, Kudo-basan." The pair smiled gratefully at Yukiko from their positions atop the motorbike, Shiho in the sidecar and Shinichi atop the seat.

"Don't forget your helmets," she replied, tossing them two matching helmets, both with the same paint scheme as the motorcycle. Their names were stenciled in silver upon the backs, in between a line of air vents. "Agasa-hakase designed them to allow ventilation at all times, though they're best when your face shield's up. They also have an intercom that won't pick up all the wind blowing through the helmet. And of course, you have to have your keys."

-⌂-

As the pair zoomed off down the road, Shiho's voice came through the helmet's earpiece. "Kudo, we should also stop by a drug store. I need to pick up some glasses."

"Glasses? Did you have a prescription before?"

"No. But we wouldn't want Ran to recognize me in school, would we? If she couldn't see that you were Conan under your glasses, even though you grew up together, how'll she see Haibara Ai under Miyano Shiho's own specs, hmm?" As they drove under the noon sun, Shinichi could just picture Hai- no, _Shiho_'s trademark smile beside him.

* * *

Well, here's Chapter 4. The last chapter ended in a joke, as you already know. Chapter 5 might or might not be up before _Storm Hawks: A Distortion of Truth_ is started and the first chapter posted. But it will finally feature Shiho and Shinichi in high school. Again, the motorbike thing was from snowqueen13; however, the jack-adam's _The Teacher_, another Detective Conan story, also gave Shinichi a motorcycle, so he was probably the original inspiration. _A Twisted Universe_ is currently without a plan for Chapter 8, so don't expect that to come in anytime soon. Most likely, _A Distortion of Truth _will come out before that.

(1)I guess I'm referencing the "wake the dead" joke/saying.

(2)I forget what this thing is called. It's basically similar to a gasoline pump today, except it manufactures hydrogen fuel on-site, rather than simply storing hydrogen.


	5. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Detective Conan: Fleeting Dreams

Chapter 5: Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Written by Skywalker6119

Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not owned/written/created by me. The original concept was conceived by Aoyama Gosho.

After vanishing for four months, I'm back here. I had a hard time working out exactly how I was going to re-introduce Shinji to school, along with Shiho, and I came up with this. Like I said a few chapters ago, this story is supposed to be light-hearted.

* * *

"Hey, did'ya hear? Two foreign exchange students are going to join our class today. They're from America!"

"Yeah, I heard one of them is a real beauty. Takahata-senpai caught a glimpse of her when she was registering, and he said that she's a real hottie!"

"What about the other one? Is it a cute guy?"

"Well, not really. He's not cute or ugly, just…plain. Tough luck for you girls."

The classroom chatter didn't sit well with Sonoko at all. This was the first she'd heard of the new students, and she was supposed to be a queen of gossip. For such a thing to happen…

"Gah! Really, they're just rubbing it in! Don't you think so, Ran?" She turned towards her classmate, who was busily scribbling down the answers to last night's calculus homework.

"Huh? Oh, I wouldn't worry about it, Sonoko. Now, how did you get this answer? Isn't it way off?" As Sonoko explained her process for Ran to correct, a pair of students walked through the front gates of the school.

-⌂-

All students in the schoolyard, male and female, turned to look at the attractive young woman striding towards the school. Her graceful bearing and striking blue-green eyes (1), framed by elegant lenses, instantly captivated most of the male members of the audience and earned her the envy of the female half. As the boys' eyes wandered, her curves and light perfume totally enthralled them.

Her companion was not so striking. His face was somewhat shapeless, with watery blue eyes and limp dark hair. His uniform was ill-fitting, loose and limp. His shoulders had a severe slouch, and he walked slightly hunched over. He was glanced at, and quickly forgotten in favor of his much more attractive companion.

-⌂-

The pair waited outside the class as the teacher gave the standard "New Student(s)" speech. Standing here, on the threshold of a totally new experience, Miyano Shiho was filled with apprehension. A life without the specter of the Black Org. hanging over here, a life where she could be a normal person…_I don't deserve it. _Having dates, doing homework late into the night, making friends and enjoying life as a student, it was too much for a monster like her. She realized that now. The euphoria had worn away, and she could now look at this with a clear mind.

She turned away from the door, and looked down the hallway. She grabbed her bag's shoulder strap, and steeled herself. _I'm sorry, Kudo. But I can't accept this._

A warm hand clasped her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Shiho. It'll be alright." Shiho turned and looked at the unrecognizable Kudo Shinichi. The only feature that she recognized was that confident smile of his. "Having a normal life isn't something to be afraid of, you know."

_That's what he was thinking about?_ Really, saying such a thing. "Kudo, that's not it! I-" Her response was cut off by the voice of the teacher calling the two of them in. Shinichi grinned, and opened the door. "After you," he said, waving his free arm in.

-⌂-

"I am Miyano Shiho. It's a pleasure to meet you." The new student bowed to the rest of the class. Ran looked at the other students; most of the boys were simply letting their eyes feast, while the girls looked on with a touch of respect and jealousy. "She's serious competition. She could monopolize the school's population, you know? Then where would I be?" Sonoko whispered into Ran's ear.

"Aren't you and Makoto still going out? Didn't you just send him something for Christmas?" Ran glanced back at Sonoko with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, but a girl has to keep her options open. With _her_ around, there won't be any."

Their whispered discussion was cut short as the other new student entered the room. To put is simply, he just wasn't noteworthy. Nothing about him really stood out. He just didn't seem…_real._ That was be the only way to describe him.

"Hayasagi Ochiba. It's a pleasure to meet you." Ochiba made a slight bow to the class, and slouched against the chalkboard. Even these actions seemed false, like they weren't things he usually did.

"Any questions?" the teacher asked the class.

"Here, Sensei!" A hand went up fiercely. It was attached to Ryuuki Inui, an infamous girl-magnet and playboy. "Miyano-san, what kinds of guys do you like?"

"I'm not interested in a romantic relationship. Next question." With a calm face and a serious voice, she shot the infamous playboy down. Undeterred, he raised his hand again. "Can I call you Shiho-chan?"

"Please don't."

"Where do you live?"

"None of your business."

"What's your cup size?"

"Guess it yourself!" Shiho was getting annoyed with the stupid questions.

"What's your relationship with Hayasagi-san?" (2)

That question made her pause. Come to think of it, why did Kudo choose to wear a disguise? She looked over her shoulder at the boy in question. He lifted his head up and addressed the whole class. "We're just old friends. Any other questions?"

"Then, Miyano-san, will you go out with me?"

"No!"

"Fuhuhuhu…Looks like you and Shinichi might not be the only married couple in the school, Ran." Sonoko smiled at her friend, though Ran didn't see what was so funny.

-⌂-

The Q&A section ended with the bell ringing for first period. The two new students sat next to Sonoko and Ran, and the quartet soon became fast friends. Over the course of time, other things came out about the pair, such as Ochiba's love of mysteries, Shiho's affinity with chemistry, and their mutual disdain for relationships. A week after they had started school, Shiho had turned down offers from 63 of the male population of the school to go out on a date. Ochiba had gotten no such offers, but seemed content to hang around with Shiho.

By the start of the second week, Ochiba had joined the soccer team, and proved himself a great player. His popularity increased after that.

"Why didn't you accept her offer, Hayasagi? Takahashi-san is one of the nicest girls in the school." Sonoko asked Ochiba as she gobbled down her lunch. It was Tuesday of the second week, January 23. As usual, the quartet were sitting in an isolated location, far from the eyes of the male students.

"Like I said, I'm not interested in a relationship right now." Ochiba picked a piece of fish out of Shiho's lunch, who simply went on eating as if she didn't notice.

"Geez, you're really like Shinichi. You're a mystery freak, a great soccer player, and you turn down all the girls to stay with your wife." Sonoko groaned. Why couldn't she and Makoto be like that?

Shiho glanced over at Shinichi, who raised an eyebrow in return. She mumbled, "Attention hog" under her breath and continued eating. Ran simply watched in interest.

-⌂-

"Any news from Shinichi yet, Ran?" Sonoko asked as the two of them walked to a little-known café later that day. Ran had tried to call Shinichi ever since New Years, but her calls had never gotten through.

"No. His phone is never on. I hope nothing's happened to him." Ran looked down at the phone in her hand. He was getting involved in such dangerous things; he never seemed to learn at all.

"Maybe you just keep calling at the wrong time" Sonoko smiled maliciously. "Most guy's would leave their cell phones off when they're-"

"Geez, Sonoko! Shinichi wouldn't do something like that!" Though she said those words, privately, Ran had been thinking the same things herself. It would be just like a man to go off and look for a woman to comfort in every case. Her father was one such detective, and if it turned out Shinichi was the same way…He would certainly get a crash course in karate!

As the pair entered the mostly empty café, they saw Shiho and Ochiba sitting together at a table, arguing over something. "Just tell her already. You've had enough time already."

"I can't! Just show up out of the blue? No preparation or anything?"

"It would be your own fault. You don't return them, you don't even let her know you exist."

"Don't let who know?" The pair turned around to see a curious Sonoko and Ran sitting at the table beside them. Ochiba flushed, and stammered. Shiho simply smiled and gave him a little shove. "Ochiba has something to tell you, Ran." _You shouldn't have forced me into that classroom, Kudo._

Sonoko and Ran looked intently at Ochiba. _Let's get it done. I want to be with her again._ Ochiba sighed, and reached one hand behind his head. "Ran, the truth is-I-"

_A love confession!? _Thought Sonoko. _What are you going to do, Ran?_

_What? I can't accept this, Ochiba. I'm sorry. No, that's sounds too insincere. How am I going to respond to this? I need time to think._ Ran' thoughts followed a similar path to Sonoko's. But they were both wrong. They gasped in shock as Ochiba started to pull his face off, a wig being brushed off by Shiho and his other hand pulling out contact lenses. "It's me, Shinichi."

* * *

Well, here's chapter 5, just in time for Thanksgiving. I didn't upload yesterday because I was my network was locked down while we dealt with a virus. So I couldn't upload.

I've been incredibly busy with schoolwork and WorldQuest studying, so I've been putting this off for a while. I didn't have much time to think about it till this week, and I managed to come up with a coherent chapter. I'm just sorry it was so short. I thought it would turn out longer.

No promises on when the next installment in any of my stories will be done, but I'm rewriting _Storm Hawks_ prologue and chapter 1 right now. After that, we'll see. Maybe Chapter 2 of _Storm Hawks _will be done by then, and hopefully I'll have Chapter 9 of _A Twisted Universe_ done as well. Look for me around Christmas or New Years.

As a side note, Mid-Pacific Institute lost their 3 year winning streak at the WorldQuest competition to Punahou. The highest place we got was 3rd place out of 76 teams, and that team was my team. Last year, my team also got 3rd place, but that was out of 27 teams, so I suppose we did better this year than last year. Hah…What a disgrace on my part.

(1) The anime shows her with bluish eyes, but the manga doesn't have any color pages of her, so I just used this color for her eyes.

(2) These were a (bad) reference to a scene in _Buso Renkin_ Volume 4.


End file.
